Mariew24

Ok so today I have officially lost half ot my starting weight, I started at 225, now weigh 112.4 holy cow, there used to be two of me.

I am happy to announce that I am in onederland! :-) 198.2 this morning. Thrilled & thankful. Finally!

Quick! Obesity is killing you! You need to drop weight and get your life back. What do you do? Do you exercise four hours a day? Or do you go for weight loss surgery?


Dr. Huizenga of the Biggest Loser and colleagues asked exactly that question – and you can bet what they concluded. The first two articles in this series looked at their research. It compared Biggest Loser methods to bariatric surgery and reported findings on weight loss and other effects.
As it turns out (spoiler alert if you haven’t read the previous articles in this series!), weight loss is faster among Biggest Loser contestants, at least for the first 7 months. And then? Who knows? The gastric bypass patients in the study continued to lose weight through 12 months, while the Biggest Loser contestants…weren’t even tracked. Who knows what they weighed at 12 months and beyond?
The research raises a lot of other questions for me. Here are the ones I would like to ask Dr. Huizenga, with each question followed by an explanation of what I am curious about.
Cost is obviously an important factor for almost everyone. Can you please explain your reasoning in saying a program like the Biggest Loser is more cost-effective than weight loss surgery?
Exercise for four hours a day – cheap, right? In theory, sure. Just join a gym for $60 a month and work out as much as you want. But is it really that simple? Not really, if you’re an average human being.
Take a look at the Biggest Loser contestants’ program. They didn’t just have access to a gym. They had trainers 6 days a week, a room away from real-world worries and temptations, and all the healthy foods they could dream of, not to mention medical care as needed. Value? Well, at a value of $2,500 per week (as listed on the Biggest Loser Resort website), contestants who were on the ranch for 13 weeks received a package valued at $32,500. That doesn’t include any additional support, like contact with trainers after the show was over.
There’s no getting around the fact that weight loss surgery has a big price tag of $5,000 or $10,000 or $25,000. But that’s only if you’re paying out of pocket, and it’s still less than the first 13 weeks of a Biggest Loser style weight loss program. Get some insurance reimbursement, and you could get surgery for free or for a reduced cost. Plus, you don’t need to leave your job for a few months to live at the ranch – another cost in itself.
Why do you believe slowed metabolism is more significant in weight loss surgery patients compared to Biggest Loser contestants?
You found a slowed metabolism in Biggest Loser contestants compared to gastric bypass patients at 7 months. You attributed the slow to contestants losing weight for the show’s finale…but the weight loss surgery patients in your study were also still losing weight at that time?
One of the reasons you promote intense exercise over weight loss surgery is because patients maintain more lean muscle mass and metabolism when they work out…but this didn’t seem to be a huge benefit in your study!
Can you please provide a sample day that includes four hours of daily exercise and that individuals could follow on a long-term basis to lose weight?
Okay, Dr. Huizenga says exercise can come out of television time, but I’m having trouble thinking of a daily schedule that includes four hours of exercise and still lets someone take care of the family and work. Here’s how I see it: wake up at 4:30, work out from 5:00 to 7:00 (thus missing your kids waking up), take kids to school, go to work by 8:30, walk on your lunch hour (that’s your hour 3 of exercise), get off work at 5, pick up kids, run errands, and get home by 6, have dinner at 6:30, work out from 7 to 8 (thus missing family time), put kids to bed, go to bed at 8:30 for a solid 8 hours of sleep. Fun life! (Not!).
Maybe you can drop some of your duties for a few weeks, but for the months or years it takes to hit goal weight? That’s just not realistic. And how much exercise is necessary for maintenance? I guess the study didn’t say…because it didn’t follow the Biggest Loser contestants for more than 7 months.
People aren’t supervised on a daily basis like they are on Biggest Loser. Is it safe to exercise for 4 hours a day, especially when we’re talking about people who may not have this kind of background?
Most people don’t have access to trainers and medical support the way Biggest Loser contestants do. And, people who are 100 or 200 lb. overweight aren’t generally used to exercising for hours a day (let’s face it: except for athletes, most people aren’t). How do they know what to do? How can they prevent injuries? Are there any health risks associated with exercising to the extreme?
How do you explain these health values?
Most of the health values improved with weight loss, but some of the Biggest Loser contestants’ values got worse. Why do you think “bad” LDL cholesterol increased by about 20 percent, and total cholesterol also increased significantly?
What are the long-term results in Biggest Loser contestants?
The show has been airing since 2004, and it has just completed Season 16. You must be in touch with some of these contestants and have the ability to contact others. What are their long-term results? Have they kept the weight off?
There are plenty of studies on long-term effectiveness of weight loss surgery. Most find that bariatric surgery is generally effective for weight control and improvements in health conditions such as diabetes, arthritic pain, and sleep apnea, for example. Many studies conclude that among people who are eligible for weight loss surgery, the ones who get surgery do better than the ones who don’t.
Is it really justified to say exercise is better than weight loss surgery when there is no evidence supporting that?

Every day I see new posts from people who feel guilty about "cheating". Some are coming clean about it or are embarrassed about it and amazingly enough, some seem to be bragging or feel empowered by it.
But is it really cheating?
I assume that most all of us are adults here. I also assume that most of us have had, are about to have or are researching WLS. We should know the dietary plan at this point (or there would be no "cheat"), and we should also know the risks associated with eating off plan pre or post op, yet every day people ask if what they are doing is OK and/or look for justification for their actions.

What in the world? It truly makes me scratch my head.
To me (and this is just MY opinion), there is no CHEAT. It's a CHOICE. I chose to have this surgery. I chose my surgeon because I trusted his skills and his knowledge. I chose to have sleeve over bypass or band. I chose to limit the amount that I can eat and drink by drastically altering my body. I chose to eat right 100% of the time on my pre-op (yup! not lying!) and I chose to eat right 90% of the time post op until my doctor said I was free to do otherwise.
I think it's FINE to ask your surgeon/NP/NUT questions if you think you are ready to do anything other than prescribed. I think it's OK to question their answers. I do NOT think it's OK to ask a bunch of strangers on an internet forum to justify choices that aren't good ones-- especially internet strangers who are or were in the same boat as you.
If you want to eat and drink at the same time, more power to you. If you want chocolate and bread and shakes and fries, have at it! If you lick a dorito or chew it up and spit it out, good for you (not really, but...)
I love the "coming clean", I love asking for support, I love asking for coping ideas. I just ask that you take a moment to ask yourself if you are truly cheating or if you are making a CHOICE to do something you should not.

Sorry but I can't spell everyone's screen name right to @ but I love all the pictures and weight update posts. We are all doing awesome. From 50 lbs on our weight loss has been amazing people. Let's not forget to Celebrate our mini miracle. This is one for sure!

@@amylynns
Loved all your pictures. Skinny mom. Look at your neck, it's amazing. I have one too, lol. I cannot believe how I can wear all my necklaces again. Things fit so much better. Good luck finding dresses. I had a most frustrating week trying to find one. It turns out size 12 and 14 are very popular. Now I'm competing with "the crowd" for regular sizes.
You are having a lot going on. keeping busy has helped me so much with weight loss lately. It feels great to get things done and not keel over in exhaustion as before. I'm loving this new me, aren't you?

My son, Jared and I on graduation day!!
My honey and I.

My youngest daughter and I.

Way to go on the great losses. Since October 22nd, I've lost 90 lbs and my knees feel great!

Way to go on the great losses. Since October 22nd, I've lost 90 lbs and my knees feel great!

Such a successful group. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago when I joined you all back in October. I was super excited about surgery and the new possibilities and I was petrified because it was major surgery. I haven't been much of a poster here, but I've been reading posts almost everyday and it is what has gotten me to where I am today. So, thank you all!
I am very excited. This morning I hit a major milestone and made it to onederland. I'm down 87 pounds. I'm having trouble comprehending that.
Happy Tuesday!

Way to go on the great losses. Since October 22nd, I've lost 90 lbs and my knees feel great!

I've been thinking a lot about this lately as well. Bottom line is that I wanted to improve my health and quality of life. But, I also wanted to look good. I set what I considered a first goal at 165. However, I was just at my 6mos appt and my PA said my first goal should be more around 175 and a second goal around 160ish. Before that appt, I was thinking that 165 was not low enough and that I should really go for something like 125.
But, what I'm told is that my body will give me an indication of where it is happiest. Like others, I do not want to spend the rest of my life obsessed with maintaining a weight that ends up being all consuming and for me wouldn't be realistic. So, I too will be Fluid with this.
It is funny how well meaning friends and family are also obsessed with my losing weight. "You look good now" "Don't lose too much weight."
Seriously, at 5'4" and 198 pounds, I don't look overweight?
I agree with the point about working with your doctor on it.
What a great topic!

I've been thinking a lot about this lately as well. Bottom line is that I wanted to improve my health and quality of life. But, I also wanted to look good. I set what I considered a first goal at 165. However, I was just at my 6mos appt and my PA said my first goal should be more around 175 and a second goal around 160ish. Before that appt, I was thinking that 165 was not low enough and that I should really go for something like 125.
But, what I'm told is that my body will give me an indication of where it is happiest. Like others, I do not want to spend the rest of my life obsessed with maintaining a weight that ends up being all consuming and for me wouldn't be realistic. So, I too will be Fluid with this.
It is funny how well meaning friends and family are also obsessed with my losing weight. "You look good now" "Don't lose too much weight."
Seriously, at 5'4" and 198 pounds, I don't look overweight?
I agree with the point about working with your doctor on it.
What a great topic!

I've been thinking a lot about this lately as well. Bottom line is that I wanted to improve my health and quality of life. But, I also wanted to look good. I set what I considered a first goal at 165. However, I was just at my 6mos appt and my PA said my first goal should be more around 175 and a second goal around 160ish. Before that appt, I was thinking that 165 was not low enough and that I should really go for something like 125.
But, what I'm told is that my body will give me an indication of where it is happiest. Like others, I do not want to spend the rest of my life obsessed with maintaining a weight that ends up being all consuming and for me wouldn't be realistic. So, I too will be Fluid with this.
It is funny how well meaning friends and family are also obsessed with my losing weight. "You look good now" "Don't lose too much weight."
Seriously, at 5'4" and 198 pounds, I don't look overweight?
I agree with the point about working with your doctor on it.
What a great topic!

I've been thinking a lot about this lately as well. Bottom line is that I wanted to improve my health and quality of life. But, I also wanted to look good. I set what I considered a first goal at 165. However, I was just at my 6mos appt and my PA said my first goal should be more around 175 and a second goal around 160ish. Before that appt, I was thinking that 165 was not low enough and that I should really go for something like 125.
But, what I'm told is that my body will give me an indication of where it is happiest. Like others, I do not want to spend the rest of my life obsessed with maintaining a weight that ends up being all consuming and for me wouldn't be realistic. So, I too will be Fluid with this.
It is funny how well meaning friends and family are also obsessed with my losing weight. "You look good now" "Don't lose too much weight."
Seriously, at 5'4" and 198 pounds, I don't look overweight?
I agree with the point about working with your doctor on it.
What a great topic!

I've been thinking a lot about this lately as well. Bottom line is that I wanted to improve my health and quality of life. But, I also wanted to look good. I set what I considered a first goal at 165. However, I was just at my 6mos appt and my PA said my first goal should be more around 175 and a second goal around 160ish. Before that appt, I was thinking that 165 was not low enough and that I should really go for something like 125.
But, what I'm told is that my body will give me an indication of where it is happiest. Like others, I do not want to spend the rest of my life obsessed with maintaining a weight that ends up being all consuming and for me wouldn't be realistic. So, I too will be Fluid with this.
It is funny how well meaning friends and family are also obsessed with my losing weight. "You look good now" "Don't lose too much weight."
Seriously, at 5'4" and 198 pounds, I don't look overweight?
I agree with the point about working with your doctor on it.
What a great topic!

I've been thinking a lot about this lately as well. Bottom line is that I wanted to improve my health and quality of life. But, I also wanted to look good. I set what I considered a first goal at 165. However, I was just at my 6mos appt and my PA said my first goal should be more around 175 and a second goal around 160ish. Before that appt, I was thinking that 165 was not low enough and that I should really go for something like 125.
But, what I'm told is that my body will give me an indication of where it is happiest. Like others, I do not want to spend the rest of my life obsessed with maintaining a weight that ends up being all consuming and for me wouldn't be realistic. So, I too will be Fluid with this.
It is funny how well meaning friends and family are also obsessed with my losing weight. "You look good now" "Don't lose too much weight."
Seriously, at 5'4" and 198 pounds, I don't look overweight?
I agree with the point about working with your doctor on it.
What a great topic!

That is so awesome. Way to go and congrats. Only those who have gone through this understand the hard work it takes.
I just hit onederland myself and I can identify with the tears of joy.

Just updated my ticker, but it's not showing up yet.....2 pounds away from being in the 160's. Holy crap! 11 pounds from goal. WHAT????

Such a successful group. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago when I joined you all back in October. I was super excited about surgery and the new possibilities and I was petrified because it was major surgery. I haven't been much of a poster here, but I've been reading posts almost everyday and it is what has gotten me to where I am today. So, thank you all!
I am very excited. This morning I hit a major milestone and made it to onederland. I'm down 87 pounds. I'm having trouble comprehending that.
Happy Tuesday!

Such a successful group. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago when I joined you all back in October. I was super excited about surgery and the new possibilities and I was petrified because it was major surgery. I haven't been much of a poster here, but I've been reading posts almost everyday and it is what has gotten me to where I am today. So, thank you all!
I am very excited. This morning I hit a major milestone and made it to onederland. I'm down 87 pounds. I'm having trouble comprehending that.
Happy Tuesday!

I spent the past two days in Harrisburg (capital of PA) lobbying to support legislation to fund programs to allow seniors and disabled individuals to receive care in their own homes versus institutions. There was a lot of walking up and down stairs - and I felt Great! Five months ago it would have been impossible.

Hey Gladiators- great stuff!
Pink- Wow!!!! Absolutely amazing. You were stunning before... Phenomenal after. Kudos to your guy for a great run.
mariew24 - you are always welcome! Awesome on your success.
Amylynns - fun picture. You look great. Sounds like you are moving forward on your health issues.
Misstvb - great links to shopping. Good stuff!

Such a successful group. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago when I joined you all back in October. I was super excited about surgery and the new possibilities and I was petrified because it was major surgery. I haven't been much of a poster here, but I've been reading posts almost everyday and it is what has gotten me to where I am today. So, thank you all!
I am very excited. This morning I hit a major milestone and made it to onederland. I'm down 87 pounds. I'm having trouble comprehending that.
Happy Tuesday!